Fuel control arrangement for an internal combustion engine

ABSTRACT

A fuel control arrangement for an internal combustion engine includes a speed-responsive valve in a passage communicating with the inlet manifold of the engine. An actuator is responsive to the pressure in the manifold and to the pressure in the passage on a side of the valve remote from the manifold, to operate a fuel valve for the engine, the arrangement being such that when the engine speed is above a predetermined level and the manifold pressure is below a predetermined level, fuel flow to the engine is reduced.

United States Patent 1191 Soltau [451 Apr. 23, 1974 FUEL CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE John Peter Soltau, Solihull, England Joseph Lucas (Industries) Limited, Birmingham, England Jan. 4, 1973 Inventor:

Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

U.S. Cl. 123/97 B, 261/D1G. 19 Int. Cl. F02m 7/12 Field of Search 123/97 B, 97 R, 119 D,

123/119 DB, 124 R; 261/D1G. 19

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1971 Walker 123/97 B 7/1973 Soltau 123/97 B 11/1971 Severn 123/97 B FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,204,488 8/1959 France 123/97 8 Primary Examiner-Wendell E. Burns Attorney, Agent, or FirmHolman & Stern [57] ABSTRACT A fuel control arrangement for an internal combustion engine includes a speed-responsive valve in a passage communicating with the inlet manifold of the engine.

7, An actuator is responsive to the pressure in the manifold and to the pressure in the passage on a side of the valve remote from the manifold, to operate a fuel valve for the engine, the arrangement being such that when the engine speed is above a predetermined level and the manifold pressure is below a predetermined level, fuel flow to the engine is reduced.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 2 I M 3.805754 v SHEET 2 UF 2 F n U i FUEL CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE This invention relates to a fuel control arrangement an internal combustion engine, and is a divisional application from our co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. I084l now U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,464 of July 10, I973.

The fuel control arrangement incorporates a valve for controlling the pressure in the inlet manifold of an internal combustion engine, the valve comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet, a member rotatable within the casing and sealingly engaged therewith be tween the inlet and the outlet, a passage in the said member to permit communication between the inlet and outlet, a closure means for the passage pivotally mounted on said member, biasing means urging the closure means in a direction to shut the valve, the closure means being responsive to centrifugal force to open the valve, and means for rotating the said member at a speed dependent on the speed of the engine.

In the fuel control arrangement for an internal combustion engine, an intake manifold of the engine communicates via a valve as defined above with a pressureresponsive actuating means, a further valve being operable by the said actuating means, the arrangement being such that, when the speed of the said member in the valve is above a predetermined level and the mani fold pressure is below a predetermined level, the said further valve is operated to reduce the amount of fuel supplied to the engine.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a section through a valve;

FIG. 2 is a scrap view on arrows 2-2 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 shows diagrammatically a fuel control arrangement according to the invention.

The valve shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a casing having an outlet 11, a main inlet 12 and a restricted inlet 13. A captive stem 27 is slidable in the inlet 13 to provide a cleaning action. A member 14 is journalled in the casing 10 and is formed at its respective ends with a pinion 15 and a flange 16. The member 14 has an axial bore 17 which opens onto the flanged end of the member 14. A transverse passage 18 within the member 14 communicates with the outlet 11 and with the bore 17. A closure member 19 is mounted on a pivot 20 extending from the flange l6. Washer of P.T.F.E. or other anti-friction material 21 is interposed between the flange 16 and the member 19. A pair of pins 22, 23 limit the travel of the member 19 which is biased against the pin 23 by a spring 24.

The pinion 15 is meshed with a spur gear 25, also journalled in the casing. The gear 25 is secured to a flexible drive cable 26. In use the cable 26 is itself driven by the engine or by apparatus operated by the engine, as for example the speedometer cable of a motor vehicle in which the engine is mounted. At a predetermined speed of the member 14 the centrifugal force on the closure member 19 is sufficient to overcome the bias applied by the spring 24 and the member 19 moves to engage the pin 22, opening the valve.

In the arrangement shown in FIG. 3 a valve 30, substantially as previously described, has its outlet 31 connected to an inlet manifold 32 of an internal combustion engine. The manifold 32 is supplied with air via air cleaner 33 and a throttle 34. The main inlet 35 of the valve 30 communicates with a pressure responsive diaphragm actuator 60. Valve 30 is thereby responsive to the speed of the engine to control application of the manifold depression to one side of actuator 60. The other side of actuator 60 is constantly subjected to the manifold depression. Actuator 60 controls a valve 61 l in a fuel line 62 for the engine in use, during deceleration the throttle 34 closes, causing the pressure in the inlet manifold to fall. If the speed of the vehicle, or the speed of the engine as appropriate, is sufficient to open valve 30 and at the same time the depression in the manifold 32 has reached the aforementioned predetermined level, actuator 60 operates to reduce fuel flow to the engine, and thereby to maintain a burnable mixture in the engine. If desired, valve 61 can be operated by actuator 60 to shut off fuel flow completely, and thereby provide an inert charge in the engine cylinders.

An additional valve or valves may be introduced in series with the valve 30, the valve 70 being responsive to the position of the engine throttle 34, whereby when the throttle 34 is open the valve 70 is shut and valve 30 is inoperative to alter the air/fuel mixture supplied to the engine.

I claim: 7

1. An arrangement for controlling the fuel supply to an internal combustion engine which includes an intake manifold, comprising a pressure-responsive actuating means, a passage inter connecting said manifold and said actuating means, a first valve in said passage between said manifold and said actuating means, said first valve including a casing having an inlet and an outlet, a member rotatable within the casing and sealingly engaged therewith between the inlet and the outlet, a passage in said member to permit communication between the inlet and the outlet, a closure means for the passage pivotally mounted on said member, biasing means engaging theclosure means in a direction to shut the valve, the closure means being responsive to centrifugal force to open the valve, and means for rotating said member at'a speed dependent on the speed of the engine, and a second valve operable by the actuating means, the arrangement being such that at a predetermined pressure in the inlet manifold and a predetermined speed of the member in the first valve the second valve is operated by said actuating means to vary the amount of fuel supplied to the engine.

2. An arrangement as claimed :in claim 1 which includes a third valve in said passage in series with said first valve, said third valve being responsive to the position of a throttle for the engine. 

1. An arrangement for controlling the fuel supply to an internal combustion engine which includes an intake manifold, comprising a pressure-responsive actuating means, a passage inter connecting said manifold and said actuating means, a first valve in said passage between said manifold and said actuating means, said first valve including a casing having an inlet and an outlet, a member rotatable within the casing and sealingly engaged therewith between the inlet and the outlet, a passage in said member to permit communication between the inlet and the outlet, a closure means for the passage pivotally mounted on said member, biasing means engaging the closure means in a direction to shut the valve, the closure means being responsive to centrifugal force to open the valve, and means for rotating said member at a speed dependent on the speed of the engine, and a second valve operable by the actuating means, the arrangement being such that at a predetermined pressure in the inlet manifold and a predetermined speed of the member in the first valve the second valve is operated by said actuating means to vary the amount of fuel supplied to the engine.
 2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 which includes a third valve in said passage in series with said first valve, said third valve being responsive to the position of a throttle for the engine. 